Chapel Deeds

We recently obtained the chapel’s deeds. They had been lodged with a firm of solicitors which had experienced some difficulty locating them when requested, so the Church Meeting saw fit to place them in our own safe keeping. Naturally, I took the opportunity to inspect them. They are rather dry in content as one might expect, and much of their wording is legalese and formulaic. Of more interest were the original trustees’ signatures from February 1818 as well as some subsequent documents appointing new ones. They are written on rather thick, sturdy paper (I lack sufficient expertise to call it vellum) and demonstrate our legal right to occupy our plot of Newby Hill and to exercise our right to hold Protestant Dissenting worship there. The online Land Registry may prove more helpful in the event of a legal challenge to our existence, but these deeds are still a wonderful token of our history and heritage.

The Lord Jesus admonished in Luke 10:20b (King James Version):

...but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Whatever the ups and downs of this life, whatever losses we suffer and victories we score, our heavenly hope is firm and secure, for our names are recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. By God's grace and through Christ’s shed blood, we have an entitlement to paradise, a legally defensible claim and certain stake. That is more secure and solid than the deeds to our homes and chapel.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea:
A great High Priest whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart.
I know that while in Heav'n he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart,
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

-Charitie Smith